Building Materials

Any material which has found its direct or indirect application in the Construction Industry for the construction of engineering structures are termed as building materials.

From ancient times, naturally available materials such as clay, rocks, sands, wood and even leaves and twigs were been used for constructing homes not only by humans but also by animals. As we progressed and we civilized, we have explored and developed countless materials to realize our construction dreams.

Today we have developed and invented numerous materials which have brought down the construction cost drastically, increased durability and reduced risk factor. The invention of modern construction materials has also resulted in lower energy consumption, reducing pollution, reducing dependency on natural resources and thus maintaining ecological balance in the environment.

We are discussing a few of very important and widely used materials in the construction industry.

List of Building Materials with their usage

Stones
Bricks
Ceramic Materials
Lime
Cement
Mortar
Concrete
Timber
Steel
Glass
Paints, Varnishes and Distempers
Plastics & many more…

Stones

The building stones are obtained from rocks which represent a definite portion of Earth’s surface. It is not homogenous and does not have any definite chemical composition and shape.

Stones are generally used in foundations, walls, columns, lintels, arches, roofs, damp proof courses, etc. They are also used for Face-work in composite masonry. Stones have also been used in ballast for railways, flux in blast furnaces, block in construction bridges, piers, abutments, retaining walls, dams, etc.

But the stones are gradually losing their popularity due to the following reasons:

The dressing of stones is a tedious, laborious and time-consuming.
The stone of desired strength, durability and quality are not easily available at economical rates.
The alternative to stones such as R.C.C and steel has proved to be stronger, lighter, cheaper, durable and more suitable for speedy construction.

Ceramic Materials

Ceramic stands for Greek word keramos which means the potter’s earth. Thus ceramic materials are earth-based materials such as clay products and refractories. The clay products employed in the building industry are tiles, terra-cotta, stoneware’s, bricks, etc.

The term refractories are used to indicate substances that are able to resist high temperatures.

Ceramic materials are strong and durable. They have low ductility, low fracture strength, high compressive strength and high shear strength. They have high modulus of elasticity, low resistance to impact, low toughness and low tensile strength. They are available in different colours, shapes and designs.

All other remaining materials can be learnt by clicking on their names directly.

Classification of Building Materials

Types of Building Materials	Examples
Abrasive Materials	Diamond, Silicon, Garnet, Sandstone, etc.
Adhesive Materials	Glues.
Binding Materials	Clay, Lime, Cement, Bitumen, Mortar, Fly-ash, etc.
Covering Materials	Asbestos Cement Sheets, Galvanized Iron Sheets, Fibre Sheets, Plastics, Roof Tiles.
Electrical Insulator	Ceramic, Rubber, Plastic, Timber, etc.
Flooring Materials	Tiles, Ceramics, Glass, Timber, Rubber, Cement, etc.
Fuels	Solid – Coke, Coal, Wood, Charcoal, Peat and Lignite Liquid – Petroleum, Alcohol, Crude Oil Gas – Coal Gas, Natural Gas, Producer Gas
Heat or Thermal Insulator	Wood, Rock Wool, Slag Wool, Fibre Board, Aluminium Foil, etc.
Light Weight Materials	Plastics, Thermocol, Wool
Lubricants	Solid – Graphite, Mica, Talc, Soapstone Liquid – Animal Oil, Mineral Oil, Vegetable Oil, Greases, etc.
Protective Materials	Paints, Colours, Varnishes, Plasters, Wallpapers, etc.
Reinforcing Materials	Mild Steel, Tor Steel
Sound Absorbing Materials	Plaster of Paris, Acoustic Plaster, Straw board, Wood wool board, Gypsum, Perforated Plywood, etc.
Transparent Materials	Glass, Plastic.